Surface More Broadly Available

Surface, Microsoft’s touch-enabled tabletop computer, is broadly available for purchase by commercial organizations and developers in the United States. The device could interest organizations that want to create distinctive customer kiosks or entertainment applications in heavily traveled public places, such as retail stores, restaurants, and hotel lobbies.

Second Phase of Rollout

Announced in summer 2007, Surface looks like a coffee table with a touch-sensitive screen. Concealed beneath the screen is a system of infrared cameras, a projector, and a PC running Windows Vista. Users interact with Surface applications by touching the screen, which can understand and react immediately to multiple touches at the same time. Because the hardware costs about US$15,000, Microsoft is targeting the product at commercial installations and has created several demonstration applications, such as a virtual concierge that could help hotel guests find nearby attractions on a map.

Until recently, Microsoft limited Surface purchases and application development to select partners: the product has not been on Microsoft price lists, and no public SDK was available. Microsoft took this approach to ensure that early Surface applications worked well and shared consistent interface elements. Consequently, Surface computers have only appeared in a handful of locations, including some AT&T Wireless retail stores, several Sheraton hotels, and the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas.